Easy Star All-Stars
Easy Star All-Stars originally formed as a studio band for artists at New York based label Easy Star Records. Cover versions of famous albums of even more famous artists turned the side project into one of the label’s flagships.
15. March 2016
However, there is more to Easy Star All-Stars than just being some funny tribute band. Their covers are crowned with musical versatility, instrumental prowess, beautiful vocal harmonies and a premier rhythm section typical of dub and reggae. The individual releases by Easy Star All-Stars represent a reggae/dub tribute to the best-known songs and albums by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Beatles or Michael Jackson. The band is mostly formed of a rotating roster. The only core member is the founder of Easy Star Records and producer Michael Goldwasser. Since their formation in 1997, the band have released several brilliant cover albums such as Dub Side of the Moon, Radiodread, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, Easy Star’s Thrillah as well as their original album First Light.
You don’t see Pitchfork praise a tribute band for their covers very often, especially if the sound of albums such as OK Computer or Dark Side of the Moon is reworked. In his review of Easy Star’s Thrillah, Angus Taylor from BBC says that “there are no dud tracks here.”
By the way, ESAS released album Radiodread ten years ago. At this occasion, they are planning its reissue with new arrangements featuring a surprise cover. Songs from Radiodread will be included in their summer setlist which the band is going to present to Pohoda audience as well.